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Ranking the designated hitter possibilities for the 2024 Toronto Blue Jays
What are the potential options available for the Blue Jays to address their DH position for 2024 and how likely will it happen?
In continuing our examination of potential replacement options for the Toronto Blue Jays with key members from their roster heading towards free agency, we will now turn our focus to the designated hitter position. With Brandon Belt set to hit the free agent market upon the conclusion of the World Series, what will be the options available for the Jays to fill the void and what are the chances that it would happen?
Previously examined positions:
• Second base
• Third base
• Center field
3. Re-sign Brandon Belt
For the 2023 season, Belt had quite the adventurous, yet productive season for the Blue Jays. His tenure with his new ballclub actually got off to a horrendous start when he struggled mightily in April, hitting just .170 and striking out almost half of his at-bats. However, he eventually recovered and managed to turn around his season the rest of the way. He certainly became a key contributor down the stretch in helping the Jays ultimately reaching the postseason.
In total, Belt hit .254 with an .859 OPS, 53 runs scored, 19 home runs and 43 RBI over 103 games played. In addition, he provided the much-needed offensive boost from the left side of the plate for the Jays. With his veteran leadership and breadth of postseason experience, it should be a no-brainer that the Jays should try and re-sign him.
However, towards the end of the season, he began to run into some injury woes with his back, causing him to miss some important games in September. Health has been an ongoing issue for Belt in recent times as he has endured over 10 ailments in just the last three years. In addition, he has even hinted about potential retirement in a recent interview on Foul Territory. As a result, with the great deal of uncertainty in his future, it is most likely that the Jays have seen the last of Belt. Nevertheless, the Jays would surely thank him once again for what he had accomplished with the ballclub.
Probability: Low
2. External options in free agency
The upcoming free agent pool could be just right for those looking for a designated hitter that could provide some thump to their lineup. The crown jewel of them all of course is Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani. For those that are worried about his health status after his recent elbow surgery, it is expected that he will be back as a hitter by Opening Day in 2024, and as a pitcher in 2025. For the Blue Jays, their immediate need is more on the hitting than pitching side anyway. Therefore, they could afford to not have the pitching version of Ohtani for a year while reaping the benefits of his offensive output. The only major hurdle would be how much it would cost to sign the former AL MVP and three-time All-Star, since he is bound to have many teams competing for his services this offseason.
If Ohtani proves to be too expensive, there is a great fallback option in J.D. Martinez. Martinez has been one of the more consistent and productive hitters in all of baseball over the past decade. He always manages to hit for a strong average while topping the 30 home run and 100 RBI marks as well. Despite a slightly down season in 2022, he quickly bounced back with the Dodgers in 2023 with a .271 average, .893 OPS, with 33 home runs and 103 RBI in 113 games played. Although he may be 36 entering the upcoming season, he doesn’t appear to be slowing down just yet and looks to follow in line with the success both David Ortiz and Nelson Cruz had even when approaching the age of 40. On top of it all, he has also won it all back in 2018 with the Boston Red Sox, so he could definitely bring that winning mentality and experience to the Jays.
Finally, another potential free agent of interest would be Jorge Soler. Soler was actually one of the power bats we suggested earlier this season that the Jays could have pursued in upgrading their offence. Well he will now be available as a free agent in the upcoming days for the Jays to take a shot at. Soler had a solid 2023 campaign in which he hit .250 with an .853 OPS, along with 77 runs scored, 36 home runs and 75 RBI in leading the Miami Marlins to their first postseason berth since 2020. With the ability to also play in the outfield if needed, the added versatility along with his potent bat could be exactly what the Jays need for 2024.
There’s definitely no need to consider trading for a designated hitter since there are plenty of options available for the Jays to choose from in free agency or within their organization (see below), so it isn’t worth sacrificing some assets to obtain one.
Probably: Medium
1. Stay internal
Finally, the Jays could just look for an internal solution to meet their needs for their DH position. After all, they appear to already have the potential heir to Belt in Spencer Horwitz. Not only does he also bat left-handed and play in the same position as Belt, he can also hit for average with his great plate discipline and contact hitting. Down in Triple-A Buffalo this past season, Horwitz posted a stellar .337 average and a .945 OPS, along with 61 runs scored, 30 doubles, 10 home runs, 72 RBI, nine stolen bases, 78 walks and 72 strikeouts. He also was a solid contributor in his two short MLB stints in his debut season with the Jays in 2023 as he hit a respectable .256, scored five runs, along with one home run and seven RBI in 15 games. As a result, he definitely deserves a longer look in 2024 to see if he can get the job done.
In addition to Horwitz, Davis Schneider proved this past season that he could also be a strong contributor offensively for the ballclub. In 2023, Schneider mashed eight home runs and 20 RBI in just 35 games, while hitting .276 with an impressive 1.008 OPS. If Schneider doesn’t end up earning a spot in any of the fielding positions, he could potentially fill the DH role admirably with his potent bat and solid run production.
All else fails, if the Jays do not want to fill the role using inexperienced prospects, the club could always go back to how they handled it in the pre-Brandon Belt days. That was when they mainly utilized the DH spot in the lineup for any player that was getting the day off in the field, or by using the bench for matchup purposes. It was only last season when the Jays finally decided to sign a player that would have the majority of their starts at DH such as Belt. So by reverting back to old times, it will provide more playing time for the Jays’ bench players, as well as adequate rest for the everyday starters in the field to keep them fresh and effective.
Probability: High